Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-06-03
CHAPTER XIII.
FRANK MULLER SHOWS HIS HAND.

know why have told you this, ON Silass"
he asked.
"Non
because l want you to understand that
you and all the Englishmen in this country
are Ill very dangerous position. The war
Is coming, and whether it goes for you
or against you, you must suffer You
Engllshmen have many enemies. You have
got all the trade and own nearly half the
land, and you are always standing up for the
black people, whom the Beers hate. 1t will
go hard with you if there is a war. You will
be shot and your houses will be burned, and
if you lose the day, those who escape will be
driven out Of the country 1t will be the
Transvaal for the Transvaalers, then, and
Africa for the Africanders."
"Well, Frank Muller, and if all this should
come to pass, what of it2 What are you
driving at, Frank Muller! You don't show
me your hand like this for nothing"
The Boer laughed. "Of course | don't, ON
Sias. Well, if you want to know, l will tell
you what | mean. l mean that alone can
protect you and your place and people in the
bad times that are coming. | have more in
fluence in the land than you know of. Per-
haps, even, | could stave off the war, and if
it suited me to do SO l would do it. At the
least could keep you from being harmed,
that know. But have my price ON Silas,
as we all have, and it must he money down
and no credit"
81 don't understand you and your dark say
ings," said the old man, coldly. II am a
straightforward man, and if you will tell me
what you mean will give you my answer; if
not, | don't see the good of our going on talk
ing"
Every WE'LL will tell you what mean.
mean Bessie. | mean that | love your niece
and want to marry her-ay, mean to marry
her by fair means or foul-and that she will
have nothing to say to me-"
"And what have l to do with that, Frank
Mullerl The girl is her own mistress 1 can
not dispose of her in marriage, even if
wanted to, as though she were colt or an OK
You must plead your own suit and take your
own answer"
u have pleaded my suit and have got my
answer" answered the Boer, with passion.
Don't you understand she will have nothing
to say to me. She is in love with the id
rOoibaatje Mel whom you have brought up
here. She is in love with him, say, and will
not look at me-"
"Ah," replied Silas Croft calmly, sis that
sof Then she shows very good taste, for
John Mel is an honest man, Frank Muller,
and you are not. Listen to me- he went on,
with a sudden outburst of passion; II tell
you that you are a dishonorable man and a
villain. | tell you that you murdered the
Hottentot Jantje's father, mother and uncle
in cold blood when you were yet a lad.
tell you that the other day you tried to muir
der John Mel, pretending to mistake him for
buck And now you who pettioned for
this country to be taken over by the queen,
and have gone round singing out your loyal
ty at the top of your voice. come and tell me
that you are plotting to bring about an nsur-
rection and to plunge the land into war, and
ask me for Bessie as the price of your pro
tectionl And now | will tell you something
in answer, Frank Muller" and the old man
rose up his keen eyes flashing in wrath, and
Strengthening his bent frame, pointed toward
the door. $50 out of that door and never
come through it again. | rely upon God and
the English nation to protect me, and not on
such as you, and | would rather see my dear
Bessie dead in her coffin than married to IA
knave and traitor and a murderer like
Frank Muller Col"
The Boer turned white with fury as he
listened, Twice he tried to speak and failed,
and when the words did come they were so
choked and laden with passion as to be
liable to these accesses of rage, and they,
figuratively speaking, spoiled his character.
Could he have kept his head, he would have
been perfect and triumphant villain; but as
it was, the carefully planned and audacious
rascality of years was always apt to be swept
away by the sudden gale of his furious passion
1t was i'll such an outburst of rage that he
had assaulted John in the inn yard at Wax
kerstroom, and thereby put him on his guard
against him and now it mastered him once
more.
VERY well, Silas Croft" he said at last, 81
will go; but mark this, will come back, and
when come it shall be with men armed with
rifles | will burn this pretty place of yours,
that you are so proud of, over your head, and
/ will kill you and your friend the English
man, and take Bessie away, and very soon
she will be glad enough to marry Frank
Muller; but then l will not marry her-no,
not if she goes ON her knees to me-and she
shall go on her knees often enough We will
then see what God and the English nation will
do to protect you. God and the English ma
toni Call on the sheep and the horses call
on the rocks and the trees and you will get
better answer"
"Gol' Numbered tho old man, cor by the
God you blaspheme | will put bullet
through YOU" and he reached toward a rifle
that hung over the mantelpiece, "or my KAT
frs shall whip you off the place"
Frank Muller waited for no more. He
turned and went 1t was dark now, but
there was still some light in the sky at the end
of the blue gum avenue, and us he rode away
against it he made out Bessie's tall and grace
full form softly outlined upon the darkening
night. John had left her to see about some
pressing matter connected with the farm,
and there she stood, filled with the great joy
of woman who has found her love, and
loath as yet to break its spell by entering
again into the daily round of common life.
There she stood, a type and symbol of all
that is beautiful and gracious in this rough
world, the lovelght shining in her blue eyes
and thoughts of happy gratitude to the Giver
Of all good rising froG her heart to heaven,
drawn up thither, rs it were, by the warmth
of her pure passion, aS the dew mists of the
morning are drawn upward by the sun.
Presently she heard tle horses hoofs, and
looked up, so that the faint light fell fun
hon fano IL 10,